I had lunch with my 22 year-old daughter the other day. We talked about life and enjoyed a good old mother-daughter conversation. I was astounded at how much she had progressed with her faith in God, but at the same time not surprised. I was shocked to hear about some of the experiences she had been through but never told me. My daughter and I had a stormy relationship as she drifted through high school. She went through a rebellious period in her teens and by the time she was 18, she decided to leave home. I prayed that she would come to her senses and realize that she was making a big mistake. She decided to leave anyway. She returned home, but a lot of valuable time had been lost venturing out in the world for something she never found. I'm not sure she even knew what she was looking for during that time.
I've always preached to my children about prayer, a close relationship with the Lord, and living a righteous life from the time they were very young. I tried to lead by example and show them how to become responsible adults who not only cared about themselves but other people. My goal was to encourage a Christ-centered life, education, good work ethics, and respect for others. I felt that if they learned the good values that my mother and grandmother instilled in me when I was growing up, they would never fail, but prosper in all areas of their lives. I watched them grow, mature, fall down, rise up, and fall down many more times. My son stayed home until he was 22, dropped out of college, left home, and returned years later. He went back to school and became a nurse before he married. My daughter was "the prodigal child"--the stubborn one, but thank God she finally realized that without Christ in her life she could do NOTHING. Both of my children have maneuvered through trials and have successfully survived.. My daughter and I are rebuilding a close bond that was broken, mending pieces that had fallen apart, and she is settling down and making plans for a more productive life. I praise God for both of my children!
The bible says "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
